San Jose Summer Jazz Fest 2016 Report: DENISE DONATELLI

Finally at the end of my day; Denise Donatelli. I made my way over to Cafe Stritch and was greeted by an impatient, hungry line of over 70 people clamoring to see this 4 time Grammy nominee vocalist. Hey, with a line like this, how am I going to get into this place? But wait. Mike gave me a Streetwise press pass. With a sticker. I walked right up to the door and flashed the pass.

"OK," she said, "and uhh...oh yeah, you got that sticker."

I went into an empty room with the stage lights set up just right and the band was doing their mic checks. I snapped off a few shots to get my exposures down and after I burned enough frames I notice a cat tuning the piano. I was floored. I've never seen that before. I mean they always tune of for Yuja Wang and Daniel Barinboim but I've never seen a tuner for jazz or pop music. So when he was done I go over and talk this spritely Japanese dude dressed in ninja black.

"So you tune before every gig?"

"Naaa", he says, "I just hang out here cus' I love the jazz. I tune because I really want them to sound good. But a lot of guys don't appreciate it...and some guys; even really good musicians, can't even tell the difference,".

"I know man, it's sick !".

"But I just tune cus' I love it", he said, "and I want to give something back to them. So if they can't enjoy it to hell with them man." We laughed our guts out like long lost brothers.

Then I said, "So you tune ... that means you play."

"Yeah, I play", he said, "but I'm a really bad player."

"We're on the same page", I said, "It takes me two years to learn something that my 16 year old son can learn in two weeks. So if you still want to listen to me, to hell with you!!" Our laughter was broken by a KCSM dj putting in a big plug for the station and introducing, let's say it right here, the amazing Denise Donetelli.

Then Denise comes on stage and immediately has the audience in her back pocket. She's like that smooth cocktail you reward yourself with at the end of a hard day's work. The clarity of voice, the effortless sustains, the inviting warm embrace of this wonderful singer. She uses her insturment to bring new life to standards such as Green Dolphin Street and fresh interpretations of comtemporary tunes like Soul Shadows , No Better, and A Promise. I especially enjoy her rendition of the bossa nova style tune Ange where she combines latin rythms with minor discordant harmonies, not unlike the great jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, all with comfortably pure tonality and an effortlessly clear voice.

According to Wikipedia, Denise Donatelli started as a classical pianist at the age of three and studied for 15 years. For three consecutive years she won first place in competitions held by the National Federation of Music Clubs. After college, she married and had sons. To remain with her family, she did not begin to sing professionally until the boys reached their teenage years.

She has recorded studio spots for episodes of The Simpsons and television promos for Frasier, Card Sharks and Turner Classic Movies as well as national and international commercials for CNN, Hyundai, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and many more.

She has performed with Bill Mays, Roger Kellaway, Tamir Hendelmen, Bob Sheppard, Joe LaBarbara, the Stan Kenton Alumni Band. She tours extensively, performing at jazz festivals; like the San Jose Jazz Festival, jazz clubs, performing art centers, and with university jazz bands where she conducts master clinics.

Her next gig is in La Jolla, CA with Geoffrey Keezer and Friends who she records with. Donatelli has released five albums; three have been nominated for Grammy's. Although this singer's voice is truly a reward in itself, no one will be surprised if Denise Donatelli's next album finally wins the recognition this fine singer deserves.

TWW

Tom Wing Wo

San Jose JazzFest 2016 Report:Legends and Emerging Artists Triumph By Shelah Moody

Closing day of the 27^th Annual San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, Sunday Aug. 14 was a celebration of world music and a joyous weekend for Streetwise Radio.

The streets of downtown San Jose, as well hotels, cafes and restaurants hosted legendary musicians and emerging artists, attracting thousands of fans to the largest city in the Bay Area.

Our first stop on a warm south bay afternoon was the Jade Leaf Lounge, where Cuban pianist Harold Lopez Nussa, joined by Ruy Adrián López-Nussa, (drums/percussion) and Alune Wade (bass/vocals) were creating elegant, tropical soundscapes.

               
                         Harold Lopez Nussa
While children in swim suits danced through the fountains at Cezar Chavez Plaza in the heart of downtown San Jose, 

2015 Grammy nominee--saxophonist Miguel Zenon, and his band --Alex Brown (piano), Hans Glawischnig (bass) and Henry Cole (drums)-- showcased rhythms and melodies inspired by Zenon’s native Puerto Rico. The quartet played original compositions and arrangements from Zenon’s albums, “Esta Plena” and “Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook.”

“It feels great to be here,” said Zenon, who was nominated for a 2015 Grammy in the Best Latin Jazz Album category for “Identities Are Changeable.”

“This is our second time here. The first time was maybe, five years ago. Last time, we played in a theater, so it’s nice to play outside; it’s so pretty here and people are enjoying themselves. “It’s a really nice vibe.”

                    Saxophonist Miguel Zenon
Zenon comes from a fine tradition of Puerto Rican jazz greats including trombonist/composer Juan Tizol, who played with Duke Ellington’s orchestra. Incidentally, as a member of the SFJAZZ Collective, Zenon cop-produced and arranged the album “The Music of Michael Jackson & Original Compositions,” recorded live at SFJAZZ Center in 2015.

                             Rick & Russ Show

The World Famous Rick & Russ Show spun classic R&B on the main stage as Grammy winning vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, currently one of the hottest performers on the touring circuit, prepared for her set the main stage. Accompanied by pianist Aaron Diehl, bassist Paul Sikivie and drummer Lawrence Leathers, the bespectacled jazz goddess opened with her original ballad, “Fog.”

                         Cecile McLorin Salvant
In February, I watched Salvant accept her Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, “For One to Love” at the Premiere Ceremony at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. Salvant is a pure, articulate singer whose voice can emulate everything from an elegant violin refrain to the sassy wa-wa of a trombone. Salvant delighted the audience with a string of jazz standards and Broadway show tunes including “The Trolly Song,” made popular by Judy Garland, “Wives and Lovers,” by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, “Something’s Coming” by Leonard Bernstein, “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” made popular by Billie Holiday and the whimsical “Sam Jones Blues” by Bessie Smith.

“I was lucky to have been raised in a household where music was a very important part of our upbringing,” said Salvant, in an interview after the show. “We listened to music from all over the world including, but not only jazz. We listened to folk music from South America, from Africa, from Europe and all kinds of American popular music and folk music from Appalachian to funk and R&B to disco and classical music. When I moved to France and met my jazz teacher, I started perusing jazz as an option for a career. I never really thought I would do it professionally.”

Salvant said she has not read her extensive Wikipedia page and said she hates to google herself. The artistically inclined singer wore a colorful patterned Issey Miyake dress that fluttered in the wind and complemented the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest mural on the main stage. Miyake is Salvant’s favorite designer; she loves his vivid colors and his clothes are light weight and are easy to travel with, she said.

“I don’t like to look at myself or watch myself or be in that spirit, because I don’t think it is very enriching as a musician,” said Salvant. “It’s not very enriching to be constantly scrutinizing yourself in that way or looking at what other people think of you. Something people may not know about me is that I really love visual art and I draw a lot. I’m actually preparing a show in New York at a gallery in November. Mostly water colors and ink drawings. It’s really a fun thing to do when I’m on tour. We have a lot of moments where we wait. You know, people come to the shows and they see us perform and they think that’s what it is. But a lot of it is traveling to the performance and waiting for the plane or the train or being in a car for a long time. There are a lot of hours like that where we can’t really work on music. I can read, I guess, but I feel like drawing is a wonderful activity that’s also creative. I started doing it about five years ago and it’s been enriching to me. I’ve done a few of my album covers.”

I asked Salvant how it felt to perform at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest.

“It feels great,” said Salvant. “The audience was warm and wonderful. I’m having a wonderful time, and I’m actually seeing a line form at the CD table.

As Salvant graciously signed CDs for fans, a New Orleans style parade made its way around the main stage, warming up the for the evening’s headliner, Sergio Mendes and Brasil 2016.

        
Shelah Moody, Sergio Mendes and Radio host Safi Wa Narobi of KPFA FM 

The 75-year-old, Grammy-winning Bossa Nova singer/songwriter/composer and his multicultural band performed “A Celebration of 50 Years of Brasil ’66.”

My father was a jazz pianist who was heavily influence by Samba and Bossa Nova. As a child, Mendes’ iconic “Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66” and other albums were constantly played in our home, and songs such as “Fool On the Hill,” “One Note Samba” and “Look of Love” became the soundtrack of my life.

Oakland rapper H20 led the intro to Mendes’ signature tune, “Mas, que Nada,” and oh, how we danced and sang along to the “O, o-o-o-oh ari-ah, rayoh...Obah, obah, obah!” chorus!

                                Greg Bridges of KCSM FM  and Albert “Tootie” Heath
In a late Sunday night set at downtown San Jose’s Café Stritch, radio host Greg Bridges of KCSM FM San Francisco introduced the legendary drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath, joined by Richard Sears on piano and Martin Nevin on bass https://youtu.be/M5OFxodGLUQ.

                                   Albert “Tootie” Heath

“This cat has been a big part of my life through listening for many, many years,” said Bridges said of Heath. “I learned rhythm from him and cats like him. So many musicians have learned from him; he is a part of the foundation of this music that we call jazz.”

Hailing from one of the first families of jazz, Heath and his musical siblings—Jimmy Heath (saxophone), and the late Percy Heath (bass) formed the Heath Brothers in Philadelphia, PA in 1975 and produced modern jazz recordings such as “Marchin’ On,” “Brothers and Others” and “In Motion. At 81, the gracious Heath packed Café Stritch, and captivated the audience with his stamina and his polyrhythmic drumming technique.

For info on the 2017 San Jose Jazz Winter Fest, go to sanjosejazz.org.

Taylor McFerrin is Taylor Made

By Amero
 
Well here we go again people another day another bill to pay! Don't worry
be happy! Easter is right around the corner so get your Chocolate Bunnies
ready. And boil those Easter Eggs. Lol. Today's topic is so cool because the 
artist is super talented, totally original and creative. Taylor Mcferrin an 
american DJ, producer,beatboxer has managed to mix all genres of music 
into a collage of musical mastery. Enter Jazz-Electronica now i admit at 
first I felt as if I was transported to the mythical land of Narnia. I was a bit 
lost in the music but as i just sat back and took it in and was able to grasp 
the vibe or how one would say the motion of the ocean.
Son of popular vocalist Bobby McFerrin Taylor has music in his blood.
Taylor seamlessly plays all the instruments in his productions and goes
his own way musically. Going in a different musical medium than his father
hasn't kept them apart as father and son have collaborated on numerous
projects together. Taylor's first full length EP “Early Riser”, was dropped in
June of 2014 and was highly anticipated. I have never personally heard
music like this so it was a surprise. I imagine going on a long train ride
looking out the window at unknown landmarks and beautiful scenery with
Taylor McFerrin playing on my ipod. With the success of his EP Taylor
is now on tour in Australia but he has already rocked in the states at
numerous venues like Radio City Hall, Apollo, and Lollapalooza. Taylor
has opened for the likes of Erykah Badu, The Roots and even Nas. Now
he gets a chance to be the headliner of his own show. Taylor loves the
use of samples but on “Memory is Energy” the keyboard and bass played by
McFerrin is very distinctive. All i can say is that in a world where musical
originality is at an all time low don't expect to feel that way after listening to
Taylor McFerrin because he wont let you. With chord changes melody flips
Taylor keeps you guessing and wanting more of his musical journeys. Come
check out Taylor McFerrin and other jazz electro artists on the Streetwise 
Radio Jazz Cafe. Brought to you by Streetwise Special Delivery Inc.
 Keep it Lit til next time.

Coming To Yoshi's Oakland LISA FISCHER TRIO

 

LISA FISCHER TRIO

PRESALE TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!

Thu-Fri, Apr 9-10 at Yoshi's Oakland

CLICK HERE TO GET TICKETS

Featured in the Academy Award winning documentary "20 Feet From Stardom" and backing vocalist forThe Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross and more.

Gary Fuston

Two words to describe Gary Fuston’s sound melodic and unique. What I like about Gary’s guitar playing, he keeps it simple. Gary has cool melodies that are influenced by R&B, Hip Hop, and Jazz. His catching grooves are what you hear when you listen to of Gary’s music. Gary Fuston is based out of the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area. He is a multi-talented artist that is a music composer producer, internet radio DJ host and music promoter. Some of my favorite tunes are “To Know You”, “Tears Away”, “Smooth Cruise”, and “On the Radio”. Gary Fuston is so underrated. I’m so glad DJ Michael Ealey turned me on to this remarkable artist. He is definitely going on my playlist. Tune into Streetwise Radio Jazz Café and listen to Gary Fuston’s music. You Can also listen to Streetwise Radio on MyGen365, iTunes, Athena365, Live365 and Pandora.

LM

http://www.reverbnation.com/garyfuston#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI5Ii8PDRiY&list=PLBBC41B40047C8B73

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1aUppuiJGE&list=PLBBC41B40047C8B73

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0cPAvKB9mA&list=PLBBC41B40047C8B73

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1RvgtR0cko&list=PLBBC41B40047C8B73

Ravi Coltrane “Spirit Fiction”

Ravi Coltrane’s destiny was written in the stars. Being that he is the son of the legendary tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and jazz pianist Alice Coltrane. Ravi was born in Long Island, New York but grew up in Los Angeles, California. He was two years old in 1967 when his father John Coltrane died. Ravi didn't make it easy on himself, 21 years after the passing of his father Ravi Coltrane studied music at the California Institute of the Arts. Ravi concentrated on the soprano and tenor saxophone, the same instruments his father played.

Ravi Coltrane has pull from his father's sound and made it his own. He's a musician of his own time. “Spirit Fiction” is Ravi’s newest album which was released on July 19, 2012. It has the tune “Cross Roads” on it. A lot of musicians have recorded this tune. I like the way soprano sax is feature on it, gives it another sound. On the tune "Yellow Cat," the horns play straight through a two-minute piano solo, which is odd but sounds great. Other tunes from this album I like are "Roads Cross", "Klepto", "The Change, My Girl", "Who Wants Ice Cream", "Spring & Hudson" and "Check Out Time".

Ravi Coltrane may look just like his father. You can hear some of John Coltrane in Ravi Coltrane’s playing, but I think Ravi Coltrane has his own sound. He is a great musician who has lived up to his legendary parents. Tune in to Streetwise Radio and listen to some tunes off of Ravi Coltrane’s “Spirit Fiction” album. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on ITunes, Live365, Athena365 and MyGen365.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Coltrane

Ahmad Jamal Blue Moon

The first time I heard Ahmad Jamal I was ten years old sitting on the floor in my Aunt Pat’s living room playing jacks that was 1970. My Aunt was playing “The Awakening” album I remember sitting there thinking I’ve never heard anything like this, this man can play. I asked my Aunt who is this she said “one of my favorite jazz pianists Ahmad Jamal”. Ahmad Jamal has been around for five decades he is 81 year young and is still putting out some amazing music. Ahmad Jamal new CD “Blue Moon” swings it and the improvising is Ahmad Jamal at his best. He is truly a piano genius. The songs I really like are “Invitation”, “This is the Life”, “03 Gypsy” and “Blue Moon”. In 2011 he was an inductee to the Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame. Ahmad Jamal innovator, composer and jazz pianist is still doing his thing on the ivory keys and “Blue Moon” proves it. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. You csan listen to some ongs off of “Blue Moon” on Streetwise Radio. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on MyGen365, Athena365, live365 or I-Tunes.

LM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmad_Jamal

Saxophonist Jafar Idris

Jafar Idris is from Gary Indiana the birthplace of the late great Michael Jackson. Jafar Idris and his twin brother are the youngest of nine siblings. When Jafar Idris was ten years old he picked up the Saxophone. I know I’m glad he did and a lot of people are too, this young brother can blow! Jafar Idris his not only a talent on the Saxophone he is also a smart educated brother. While he was in high school he earned all A’s and became the first African American Valedictorian at Merrilville Senior High School in 90 years. Jafar Idris takes the covers of a variety of music artists like Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keyes, India Arie, Pleasure P, Keyisha Cole, Luther Vandross, Miguel, Usher, and Michael Jackson. Jafar Idris plays the saxophone to his interpretation of the song and it is truly wonderful. Jafar Idris plays the sax on some of the covers, I feel better than the artists singing them. I have listened to a lot of great saxophone players and I must say Jafar Idris is up there with them, he may be young but I know we will be well know real soon. Jafar is an unsigned independent artist, who needs to be signed. I can listen to Jafar Idris all day, the saxophone is one of my favorite instruments it’s so sexy! If you have never heard of Jafar Idris you need to tune into Streetwise Radio Jazz Café 12-1pm, you’re in for a treat. You can also tune into Streetwise Radio on iTunes, live365, Athena365, MyGen365.

LM

http://www.myspace.com/jafaridris

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jafar+idris+saxophone&oq=jafar+idri&aq=1&aqi=g4&aql=&gs_sm=1&gs_upl=1014524l1021821l0l1026322l10l10l0l3l3l0l314l1192l0.5.1.1l7l0

Etta James (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012)

Etta James born Jamesetta Hawkins she lost her battle with leukemia five days before her 74^th birthday. Etta James mother Dorothy Hawkins had Etta when she was fourteen years old in Los Angeles California. Etta James never knew who her father was, but she thought he was Rudolf “Minnesota Fat” Wanderone the pool player. Etta James had a turbulent childhood; her mother was not in the picture so Etta lived with caregivers, Sarge and Mama Lu. When Etta was five years old Sarge would get drunk during his poker games and beat Etta into sing for him and his poker buddies. This was very traumatic for Etta James she always had a reluctance to sing on demand. Mama Lu died in 1950, so Etta’s mother took her to San Francisco she was 12 years old. While living in San Francisco she sang with doo-woop group the Creolettes. When Etta was 14 years old she met Johnny Otis who signed the group to Modern Records and changed the name of the group to the Peaches. The Peaches released “Dance with Me, Henry” which Etta co-authored. The song reached number one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues chart. This song gave the Peaches an opening spot on Little Richards national tour. When Etta left the Peaches she released “Good Rockin’ Daddy” which was an R&B hit. It is said by Bobby Murray aka “Taters” who toured with Etta for 20 years, that at age 16 Etta went steady with B.B King and Etta believed the B.B. King’s song “Sweet Sixteen” was about her. From 1960 through 1978 Etta James had a string of hits, “If I Can’t Have You”, “Spoonful”, “All I Could Do Was Cry”, “My Dearest Darling”, “The Fool That I Am’, “Don’t Cry Baby”, Something’s Got a Hold on Me”, “Pushover”, “ Tell Mama”, “I’d Rather Go Blind”, “Losers Weepers”, “I Found a Love” and her signature song “At Last”. The song “At Last” I my opinion should have been sung at the Presidential Inauguration ball by the one and only Etta James instead of Beyoncé. That was Etta’s song she was still alive she had a hard life and paid her paid her dues. Etta James musical style throughout her career was blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. I never had the pleasure of seeing Etta James perform in person, but my husband did, when he was playing with Maria Mulduar and John Lee Hooker back in the late 90s and early 2000s. Etta James will be missed, but her songs will live on.

LM

http://news.yahoo.com/legendary-blues-singer-etta-james-dies-calif-163709371.html

Passing of a Legend Ralph McDonald (March 15, 1944-December 18.2011)

Ralph McDonald was a percussionist, song-writer, musical arranger, record producer, steelpan (drum) virtuoso and philanthropist. Ralph McDonald grew up in Harlem New York, his father was a calypsonian and bandleader who was from Trinidad and Tobago who went by the stage name was “Macbeth the Great”. Ralph McDonald’s musical talent in the steelpan drums landed him a job playing on the Harry Belafonte outfit when he was seventeen. Ralph McDonald left the Harry Belafonte after ten years that was in 1967. Ralph McDonald, Bill Eaton and William Salter formed the Antisia Music Inc. Ralph’s McDonalds big break came when he and William Slater wrote “Where Is The Love” recorded by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway in 1971. This song is a classic and one of my all-time favorites. It won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It also sold a million copies and was awarded gold status. Ralph McDonald played on this song. Ralph McDonald was best known for is song “Just the Two of Us” a mega hit by sung Bill Withers and Mr. Magic also done by saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. The story behind “Just the Two of Us” (came to Ralph MacDonald after a glossy brochure in the showcase of a Trinidad and Tobago Tourist Board New York office caught his eye (The Tourist Board is the precursor to the Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Development Company). On the cover of the brochure was a picture of a girl on a warm sunny Tobago beach inviting the US tourist to come to the twin-isle tropical state to "discover the both of us". It must have at once brought back a yearning for home, as Ralph immediately began humming a melody built upon lyrics centered around the catchy phrase :)

I see the crystal raindrops fall And the beauty of it all Is when the sun comes shining through To make those rainbows in my mind And I think of you sometime And I want to spend sometime with you

Just the two of us...

This is in my opinion one of the prettiest lyrical songs and another one of my favorites. Ralph McDonald recorded with hundreds of artist I’m going to list a few Burt Bacharach, George Benson, David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Miriam Makeba, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Amy Winehouse, Bob James, Ashford and Simpson, Nana Mouskouri, The Average White Band, Hall and Oates, The Brothers Johnson, and Jimmy Buffett. Ralph McDonald was featured percussionists on George Benson’s “Breezin” album in 1976, Carole King’s “Thoroughbred” album 1975 and Looking Glass’s “Subway Serenade” album in 1973. I’m writing this blog on Ralph McDonald because of my husband Bryant Mills who is a drummer. He always talked to me about his two idols Ralph McDonald and Harvey Mason ever since we met back in 1984. He would say his playing style came from Ralph McDonald and Harvey Mason. People need to know the history behind songs who wrote them and why they were written. Ralph McDonald was great musician, he will be missed.

LM

ESPERANZA SPALDING

Esperanza Spalding won a Grammy award for Best New Artist. She grew up in the King neighborhood of Portland Oregon that she describes as the “ghetto” and “pretty scary”.Esperanza and her brother were raised by their mother. When Esperanza was four years old she was inspired to pursue a life in music while watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and classical cellist YoYo Ma. 

At the age of five Esperanza taught herself to play the violin and she started playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. Esperanza stayed with the Chamber Music Society until she was fifteen and left as a concertmaster. Esperanza is a self taught musician, she also plays the oboe and the clarinet, but her love is the bass. Esperanza says discovering the bass was like "waking up one day and realizing you’re in love with a co-worker."

At the age of 15 or 16 Esperanza wrote lyrics for a local rock/pop band Noise for Pretend and started doing vocals for them. Esperanza’s vocal style is jazzy with a scanting quality about it.

Esperanza attended Berklee College of Music, but found it hard to meet living expenses even though she had a full scholarship. Esperanza started to give up music and go into political science; but jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny told Esperanza she had “the X Factor” and that she could make it if she applied herself. Esperanza toured with Patti Austin for three years and saxophonist Joe Lovano while attending Berklee. Esperanza was awarded the Boston Jazz Society scholarship for outstanding musicianship in 2005. That same year she was the first ever youngest professor in the institutions history, at the age of 20.

 I had not heard of Esperanza Spalding until she won the Grammy for Best New Artist. It is great that she won beating out the other artist in that category, Justin Beiber. To have a real musician who can play an instrument and sing in my opinion is great.

I hope the people who vote for the nominees realize that it’s not always about popularity. Esperanza Spalding is a great Jazz musician and singer and we will be hearing a lot more from her for years to come.


LM

http://wiki.ask.com/Esperanza_Spalding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-rWNAQx1ZE

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Pat Metheny

Image via Wikipedia

Pat Metheny was born 55-yers ago in Lee's Summit, Missouri...a suburb near Kansas City.  After graduating from high school he moved to Florida to study music at the University of Miami, but left during his first semester. He was actually offered a teaching position soon afterward, but Metheny always knew in his heart that he was meant to play...not teach!

 

By the age of 20 he was on his way to becoming one of the most prominant and successful jazz guitarists of the 1970's and 80's, recording and touring throughout the world with his band 'The Pat Metheny Band'.

 

In 1975 Metheny joined vibraphonist Gary Burton, and recorded 'Bright Size Life', with bassist Jaco Pastorius and Drummer Bob Moses. The next track 'Watercolors' featured pianist Lyle Mays, who would co-write many songs with Metheny.

 

Their alliance with bassist Mark Egan and drummer Dan Gottlieb solidified 'The Pat Metheny Band'... which was also the title of their first album. 14 more would follow over the next 25 years, as the band toured the world, offering the unique sound of Metheny's Gibson ES-175 guitar.  Also featured were Mays' Oberheim and Sequential Circuit synthesizers, and Steinway piano. .

 

Metheny also ventured in other directions, releasing solo, trio, quartet, and duet recordings with musicians such as Jim Hall, Dave Holland, Roy Haynes, Toninho Horta, Chick Corea, Pedro Aznar, Herbie Hancock, John Schofield, and Joni Mitchell.

 

He even participated in side projects with performers like Omette Coleman, Nordic Jazz players Ulf Wakenius, E.S.T.,and Nils Landgren. Pat also played with female greats Silje Nergaard, Noa, and Ana Maria Jopek.

 

As for the guitar, Metheny not only continued the jazz tradition, but borrowed other tones, and made many unique alterations using the 12-String Electric, hollow-bodied Six-String Electric, and heavily used Roland guitar synthesizer. He even continues to play a custom-made Pikasso-1 42-String guitar built by Canadian Luthier Linda Manzer...who hand-made many acoustic guitars for Metheny.... including  the 'Sitar', 'Baritone', and 'Mini' guitars.

 

Metheny's earliest influence was Wes Montgomery, and his album 'Impressions:The Verve Jazz Sides"...which Metheny says taught him how to play!  Other inspired were Jim Hall, Joe Diorio, Kenny Burrell, and Joe Pass, as well as rockers Eddie Van Halen and Windham Hill. He's also a fan of Pop stars James Taylor, Bruce Hornsby, Joni Mitchell, and The Beatles.

 

But, Metheny's most powerful inspiration actually came from Brazilian Music--both the Euro-influenced Jazz sound of the' Bassa Nova', and the rhythmic Afro-Brazilian sounds of Northeast Brazil...where Pat has both lived and performed at different times. 

 

However, no matter where Pat Metheny plays, his unique style is enjoyed and loved by jazz listeners all over the world.

 

 

Thanks, and keep listening....

 

PeteCam4